Abstract

 
 
 The PhD journey is different from all other activities in higher education. It ́s a period of construction of the research and is also a time for integration in the academy, in the field of research, and at the higher education system.
 During the enrolment in the PhD, the person's growth and the live experience change the perception that the doctorate has of the PhD and the research journey. The experiences as a doctoral student and as a researcher under construction, who is supervised/oriented/ guided by a supervisor, shape the way of thinking and action regarding the institution and the academy but also influence the way they see and felt the PhD journey and their beliefs. It is argued in this paper that an initial (de)formed perception of the real PhD journey and supervision, may influence the satisfaction of the students with it, and the disappointment impact the option to leave the academy or to continue.
 The current paper describes the change in the perception, motives, and of the curriculum quality and adequacy to doctoral personal journeys, during the doctorate. But it also reflects a PhD students’ personal journey and their perceptions concerning the PhD supervisors, host institutions, and the academy.
 
 
Highlights
When a student enrols in a PhD, it has expectations, goals and beliefs’
A huge part, of the PhD students, knows already their supervisor, the relation change with time, as the PhD students usually face the transitions between a young adult to an adult, which transforms their perceptions and their judgments of their academic experience
The number of students enrolled at Universidade Nova de Lisboa, between the academic year 2010/2011 and 2017/2018 is presented in Fig
Summary
When a student enrols in a PhD, it has expectations, goals and beliefs’. During the doctorate period, the living experience and the day-today-life change their perspectives, as they face reality, regarding the PhD experiences, the peers, the academy life, the research experience and environment, and the relation with the supervisor.The PhD student – PhD supervisor relation/interaction is different from that of the master studentmaster supervisor or bachelor student - bachelor supervision, as doctoral programs and Master Programs have different goals and different pedagogies [Kleijn, Mainhard, Meijer, Pilot & Brekelmans, 2012; Clarence, 2020]. A huge part, of the PhD students, knows already their supervisor, the relation change with time, as the PhD students usually face the transitions between a young adult to an adult, which transforms their perceptions and their judgments of their academic experience. During the time outside the academy, they grow as persons with new responsibilities as adults Their conscience of the power difference between them and supervisor and, their (supervisors and students) duties and rights, and the notion that the academy and host institutions, should be regulators of the supervision process, proposing good practices and the PhD quality and assessment, trigger the doctoral questioning regarding all their realities Their conscience of the power difference between them and supervisor and, their (supervisors and students) duties and rights, and the notion that the academy and host institutions, should be regulators of the supervision process, proposing good practices and the PhD quality and assessment, trigger the doctoral questioning regarding all their realities (why Im doing this? what is the PhD utility? It is worthy?), and confront them with facts like attrition, the academy give-up, future careers, work market competence, failing, depression, and with their wellbeing, happiness of discovery, knowledge construction, sense of belonging, and with the unknown in their personal and in their professional life
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